1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toothbrush with usage indicator for use in connection with personal dental hygiene. The toothbrush with usage indicator has particular utility in connection with knowing when it is time to replace a toothbrush. The toothbrush with usage indicator employs a battery operated counter which turns on a red light when the toothbrush needs to be discarded.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Toothbrushes are desirable for providing a means to clean teeth on an everyday basis. Most people continue to use the same toothbrush, even when it no longer provides the quality needed to maintain good dental hygiene. An old toothbrush typically has worn bristles which fail to clean the teeth and gums properly. In addition, a toothbrush that has been used for a long time tends to have a build up of bacteria on it, posing a potential health problem for the user. The “TOOTHBRUSH WITH USAGE INDICATOR” provides an easy means of detecting when a toothbrush needs to be replaced. The user simply pushes a button each time the toothbrush is used, and the color-coded alert system displays a red light when it is time to dispose of the toothbrush. Thus, the “TOOTHBRUSH WITH USAGE INDICATOR” furnishes the user with an easy way to detect the useful life of a toothbrush, thereby improving dental hygiene.
The use of a toothbrush with usage indicator is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,489,707 to Floyd G. Eubanks discloses a toothbrush with identification means. While the Eubanks '707 patent declares a function for marking the initial use of the toothbrush to provide the user a means of judging the time for replacing the toothbrush, this function is achieved through a marker placed in a receptacle and not by the electrical means indicated in the present invention. Furthermore, the Eubanks '707 patent does not provide a mechanism for alerting the user when the toothbrush needs to be replaced, relying on the user's memory to perform this function.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,150 to Alfred Jurt discloses a toothbrush with indicators for when the user first uses a toothbrush and for when the user thinks the toothbrush should be replaced. Although the idea for indicating when the toothbrush needs to be replaced in the Jurt '150 patent is similar to that in the present invention, the implementation of this function is vastly different. Where the Jurt '150 patent employs a circular disc for the user to manually set the data for the beginning and ending dates of the toothbrush usage, the present invention utilizes an electrical system in which the user simply pushes a button each time the toothbrush is used and is notified when the toothbrush needs to be replaced.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 380,903 to Robert Moskovich discloses an ornamental design for a toothbrush with grip pads on the handle. While the Moskovich '903 patent presents a toothbrush, it makes no assertions as to a usage indicator in the toothbrush.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,286 to Scott McLean discloses a disposable shaver with counter and method of counting and quantitatively comparing the useful life of disposable shavers. The McLean '286 patent incorporates a series of blisters on the handle of the shaver to be depressed each time the razor is used. While the idea of counting the uses of the shaver is similar in the McLean '286 patent, the implementation is vastly different than the method used in this invention.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,715 to Donald H. Friedland reveals a blade shaver counter with a similar function to the toothbrush with usage indicator of the current invention. The Friedland '715 patent proposes a blade shave counter which counts the number of shaves for which the current blade has been used. However, the Friedland '715 patent differs greatly from the current invention, especially in the implementation of the control of the counting function. The Friedland '715 patent utilizes a moisture sensor to control incrementation of the counting mechanism, whereas the current invention relies on a button which the user pushes each time the toothbrush is used. Incorrect data could be fed to the counting function if the razor were accidentally knocked into the sink, left in the shower or tub area while not in use, or exposed in some other way to water while not being used for shaving.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,984 to Norman Glanzman discloses a razor usage indicator with a similar function to the current invention. Despite the similarity in function of the usage monitor, the implementation of the Glanzman '984 patent varies greatly from the present invention. The Glanzman '984 patent uses a sliding indicator in conjunction with appropriate indicia on the handle or the razor, whereas the current invention uses an electrically controlled circuit which signals the need for toothbrush replacement with a red indicator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,557 to John Kaiko reveals a shave counter for use on a razor. While the Kaiko '557 patent discloses a means for keeping track of the number of uses of a particular blade, the presented embodiment is for a rotary device that is manually operated and external to the handle of the razor. The present invention utilizes a battery operated counter which is decremented by the push of a button each time the toothbrush is used.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,382 to David Giuliani, Ryan W. McMahon, and David Engel, discloses a pacing toothbrush which counts the brushing time for each use. The Giuliani, et al. '382 patent does not provide for a usage monitor in the toothbrush and has the further deficiency of containing software drivers and complex internal connections for function control. While this adds attractive features to the toothbrush, it complicates the manufacturing process and considerably raises the cost of the toothbrush.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a toothbrush with usage monitor that is electrically controlled with user input as to usage of the toothbrush. For example, the Moskovich '903 and Giuliani, et al. '382 patents do not even contain mechanisms for monitoring the usage of the toothbrushes disclosed. Eubanks '707, Jurt '150, McLean '286, Glanzman '984, and Kaiko '557 all disclose devices with a manual method for monitoring usage, whereas the current invention calls for an electrically controlled counter which is decremented, via a push button, each time the device is used. Although the Friedland '715 and Giuliani, et al. '382 patents reveal devices that are electrically operated, the Friedland '715 device relies on a moisture sensor for control of the counting function, and the Giuliani, et al. '382 device involves a complex internal structure which is cost prohibitive. Additionally, neither the Eubanks '707 patent nor the Moskovich '903 provide a means for alerting the user when the toothbrush needs to be replaced, relying on the user's memory to perform this function. Each of the aforementioned patents also contains significant structural differences to the toothbrush with usage indicator outlined in this application.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved toothbrush with usage indicator that runs off battery power, allows the user to confirm each use with a push button, and signals the user when the toothbrush needs to be replaced. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the toothbrush with usage indicator according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and, in doing so, provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing an electrical mechanism for monitoring the usage of a toothbrush.